Nestled in the liberal arts college corridor of Maine, Colby is a classic New England college, full of socially-conscious, outdoorsy students and where selfmotivated projects are encouraged. The school is willing to give students the time and resources to develop their own ideas and pursuits: There are “amazing support systems” in place for all students, and “tons of opportunities to forge your own path and get ample support from the college,” which fosters a community of “well-rounded, kind, thoughtful, and critically-thinking citizens.” Professors are “brilliant and always available." All professors are available for office hours during the week and are “willing to talk with students about the work, or just have a chat.” Students are made “to get out of their comfort zone and learn through hands on experience and research”; for example, in the Education department, “research and other information presented inside of the classroom are complemented by experiences outside of the classroom in the greater Waterville community.” “Every single one of my classes has had a component that has surprised me in its interesting content that I have never considered or known about,” says a student. An active alumni network and a recent new president only further helps Colby in “implementing changes that the student body wants and needs.” The administration “has always listened to student groups and there is a respect for their opinions that often result in policy changes where they are needed,” and there is a tremendous level of involvement throughout campus. Colby “is an extended family that looks out for every student and promotes the exploration and development of new ideas and interests.” Colby is a place for “forward-thinking, friendly, quirky, social, active people.” The joke on campus is that “everyone is [from] J.O.B.: just outside of Boston,” but in addition to the New England crew (“the perfect mixture of preppy outdoorsmen”), a substantial portion of the student body hails from outside of New England. Most Colby students are “quite fit” and enjoy the outdoors; almost all are involved in “either a varsity sport, club sport, or some other club that fits their interests.”​As a result of their broad interests and workloads, Colby students are “usually fairly busy (in a good way).” Most weekends there is a pretty large social scene and virtually all social events happen on the “gorgeous” campus, as “Mayflower Hill is its own little thriving community.” Walking around you’ll see “people playing Frisbee on Miller Lawn, slack-lining near Johnson Pond during the fall and spring, sledding on Chapel Hill, and skating or playing hockey on Johnson Pond in the winter.” Getting off campus “isn’t the easiest” but everyone is allowed to have a car so more likely than not you will find someone on campus that can take you anywhere. As you may know, Maine is “absolutely beautiful,” and “all four seasons have something great to offer.” In the winter, people ski most weekends and in the summer they often go to Colby’s waterfront lake property to swim. Most everyone lives on campus, so “people are always around when you’re looking for something to do.”

Colby College website: http://www.colby.edu/​​​Click here to read more about the Colby College in The Princeton Review. (You may need to log in or create a free Princeton Review account to view.)

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These college profiles are adapted from The Princeton Review's Best 379 Colleges Guide. This guide provides narrative descriptions of schools' academics, student body, and campus life, in addition to other general information. To view these details, you must create a free Princeton Review account.